49ers would welcome back QB Alex Smith

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers would welcome back quarterback Alex Smith if the 2005 first overall pick wants to return.

General manager Trent Baalke said Wednesday that the 49ers have extended an "olive branch" to Smith to come back to the only NFL team he has ever known. All that started before the NFL locked out the players in the ongoing labor dispute.

Smith can't sign with San Francisco — or any other team — until the labor situation is settled and free agency begins.

New coach Jim Harbaugh already has expressed confidence in Smith as a quarterback in his system, and Baalke made it clear that the 49ers made an offer for the free agent to return.

"It's up to Alex to make the decision on whether he wants to be a 49er again," Baalke said. "I think Jim's made it clear. We've made it clear through the process that the olive branch has been extended."

A call to Smith's agent, Howard Skall, and an email to the quarterback seeking comment weren't immediately returned.

Smith was demoted and promoted several times last season and has had a different offensive coordinator every year since coming out of Utah. He has fallen out of favor with fans — many of whom have booed him on several occasions — and has failed to lead the 49ers to the playoffs.

With the lockout canceling offseason workouts, postponing free agency and threatening training camp, San Francisco is at a disadvantage perhaps more than most teams. David Carr is the only quarterback on the roster, and asking a rookie to take the reins with a shortened offseason could be even more difficult.

The 49ers have the No. 7 pick in next week's NFL draft and will likely take a quarterback at some point.

Team president Jed York, speaking on a conference call forum with some 5,000 fans Wednesday night, had a little fun with the idea of Harbaugh's NFL playing history.

"If we don't have a quarterback at least our head coach has been a quarterback in the league and we might suit him up for a couple of games. Jim has been working out hard," York said. "Obviously the quarterback position is the most important position on the field and (Trent and Jim) are going to figure out who the best guy is. They said today they'd like Alex to be in the mix, but it's up to Alex to decide if he wants to be here."